Giron, McDonald, Michelsen, Krajicek, and Ram Selected for Davis Cup

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, January 6, 2025
Photo credit: Mark Howard

A dynamic squad of Top 50-ranked singles players, alongside an experienced doubles pairing, will champion the United States in the upcoming Davis Cup.

Captain Bob Bryan has officially selected Alex Michelsen, Marcos Giron, Mackenzie McDonald, Austin Krajicek, and Rajeev Ram to represent the U.S. in its 2025 Davis Cup Qualifying First Round against Chinese Taipei.

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This thrilling tie is scheduled for January 31-February 1 at the indoor hard courts of the Taipei Tennis Center in Taipei City.

The timing of this Qualifier, just days after the Australian Open concludes on January 26, may be the reason many prominent American players, including Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Sebastian Korda, and Brandon Nakashima, are absent from the Davis Cup lineup.

This USA vs. Chinese Taipei match is one of 13 home-and-away ties as part of the first round of Qualifying, set in a best-of-five format. The matches kick off with two singles encounters on Friday, January 31, followed by a doubles match and two reverse singles on Saturday, February 1. The first team to win three matches will advance to the next round.

The victors from the USA-Chinese Taipei duel will take on the winners of the Korea vs. Czechia matchup in the Qualifying Second Round scheduled for September 12-14. Successful teams will move on to compete in the prestigious eight-nation Davis Cup Final 8, aiming for championship glory in November in Bologna, Italy.

Italy stands as the reigning champion, having won the Davis Cup title twice in succession.

This encounter marks the inaugural meeting between the USA and Chinese Taipei in Davis Cup history. Chinese Taipei was selected as the host nation through a random draw. Both teams participated in the Qualifying pool in 2024, with the U.S. advancing to the Group Stage of the Finals but ultimately falling to Australia in the quarterfinals. On the other hand, Chinese Taipei faced challenges in Qualifying but triumphed over Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Group I to secure their spot this year.

Meet the talented players representing Team USA:

Alex Michelsen, 20, is ranked No. 41 in singles, making his debut in the Davis Cup. Hailing from Laguna Hills, California, he has reached three ATP singles finals over the past two years and became the youngest American to enter the Top 50 since Sam Querrey in 2007.

Marcos Giron, 31, currently ranked No. 45 in singles, is also making his Davis Cup debut. A two-time Olympian from Thousand Oaks, Giron clinched his first ATP singles title this summer in Newport and achieved a career-high ranking of No. 37 in August.

Mackenzie McDonald, 29, holds a singles ranking of No. 130, with a career-high of No. 37 reached in the fall of 2023. A Piedmont, California native, he debuted in the Davis Cup in 2023 and boasts a 3-1 record in singles matches across four ties, including the 2024 Finals Group Stage.

Rajeev Ram, 40, a former world No. 1 in doubles, is currently ranked No. 28. Since his Davis Cup debut in 2021, he has an impressive 10-3 record in doubles. Ram, from Carmel, Indiana, is a four-time Grand Slam men’s doubles champion and earned his second Olympic medal, a silver, alongside Krajicek at the Paris Olympics.

Austin Krajicek, 34, another former world No. 1 in doubles, is now ranked No. 42. He has a solid 6-2 record in Davis Cup doubles since his debut in 2023. A Tampa native, Krajicek won the men’s doubles title at the 2023 French Open and also secured a silver medal at the Paris Olympics alongside Ram.